virgil abloh exhibits ‘acqua alta’ series of sinking furniture during venice art biennale
the project draws from the tide peaks that regularly affect venetian life.
virgil abloh presents acqua alta, a series of ‘sinking’ chairs, benches and a floor lamp, as part of the carpenters workshop gallery-organized ‘DYSFUNCTIONAL’ exhibition. on view during the 2019 venice art biennale, the installation draws from the tide peaks that regularly affect venetian life, and acts as a reminder of the city’s, and our planet’s, rising water levels.
image © designboom
header image: ‘alaska alaska’ acqua alta series, courtesy of virgil abloh and carpenters workshop gallery
set at galleria giorgio franchetti alla ca’ d’oro in venice, abloh’s acqua alta is one of the more than 50 works by 23 artists and designers who were invited by carpenters workshop gallery to exhibit alongside the palace’s permanent collection of renaissance and baroque pieces. the objects in the series are cast in polished bronze, while their tilting forms make them appear as if they are sinking in water. the installation acts as a time stamp in history, reminding visitors of the rising sea levels, and inviting them to think about the fate of venice and our planet.
image © designboom
image © designboom 
image © designboom 
image © designboom 
image © designboom 
image © designboom 
image © designboom
project info:
exhibition: DYSFUNCTIONAL
exhibition organizer: carpenters workshop gallery in partnership with the lombard odier group
location: galleria giorgio franchetti alla ca’d’oro, grand canal, venice
dates: 8 may – 24 november 2019
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